Wageningen UR opens application centre for edible insects on 3 July

Published on

June 23, 2014

By

Wageningen UR,
Applied Plant Research

The official opening of Insect Point, housed in the BioScience Center in Lelystad, will take place at 16.00 hrs on Thursday 3 July. Insect Point will be used by Wageningen UR (University & Research centre), entrepreneurs and fellow knowledge institutes to work together on the production of edible insects for human and animal consumption. The centre will be formally opened by Deputy King's Commissioner for the Province of Flevoland Jan Nico Appelman and Wageningen UR Executive Board member Tijs Breukink.

There is still a lot to learn and
to develop when it comes to edible insects. Insect Point will initiate
interactions with supply chain partners, governments, schools and businesses. The centre will
offer a wide range of research facilities and will provide workshops, guided
tours and excursions. Educational and informative programmes for schools and
the general public are also being developed.

Alternative
sources of protein

There is an urgent need to
look for new and/or alternative sources of protein. Research carried out for
example by FAO and Wageningen UR show that insects form a sustainable and
healthy alternative. ‘Insects are a highly-nutritious source of protein, in
addition to which they can be produced sustainably by feeding them on plant
waste products. This is therefore a promising development,’ says Piet Spoorenberg, research
manager at Wageningen UR. Edible insects could provide a solution to the
increasing global food demand.

More rapid
innovation in insect production

The opportunities that arise
from edible insects are virtually inexhaustible. However, the efficient
transfer and implementation of state of the art knowledge is needed to
accelerate the production and consumption of edible insects in the Netherlands. Wageningen UR and
its partners hope to make applied research relating to the production of edible
insects accessible to the business community.